TOUCHSTONE Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'touchstone' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of touchstone are criterion , gauge , standard , and yardstick . While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible. // fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

Q: When could 'criterion' be used to replace 'touchstone'?

The words criterion and touchstone can be used in similar contexts, but criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not. // questioned the critic's criteria for excellence

Q: Where would 'gauge' be a reasonable alternative to 'touchstone'?

Although the words gauge and touchstone have much in common, gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect. // polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction

Q: When can 'standard' be used instead of 'touchstone'?

While the synonyms standard and touchstone are close in meaning, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority. // standards of behavior

Q: How do 'yardstick' and 'criterion' relate to one another, in the sense of 'touchstone'?

Yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality. // housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

touchstone

noun

ˈtəch-ˌstōn

Definition of touchstone next

as in criterion

something set up as an example against which others of the same type are compared his book has long been a touchstone for travel writing that aspires to be literature

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How does the noun touchstone contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of touchstone are criterion, gauge, standard, and yardstick. While all these words mean "a means of determining what a thing should be," touchstone suggests a simple test of the authenticity or value of something intangible.

fine service is one touchstone of a first-class restaurant

When could criterion be used to replace touchstone?

The words criterion and touchstone can be used in similar contexts, but criterion may apply to anything used as a test of quality whether formulated as a rule or principle or not.

questioned the critic's criteria for excellence

Where would gauge be a reasonable alternative to touchstone?

Although the words gauge and touchstone have much in common, gauge applies to a means of testing a particular dimension (such as thickness, depth, diameter) or figuratively a particular quality or aspect.

polls as a gauge of voter dissatisfaction

When can standard be used instead of touchstone?

While the synonyms standard and touchstone are close in meaning, standard applies to any definite rule, principle, or measure established by authority.

standards of behavior

How do yardstick and criterion relate to one another, in the sense of touchstone?

Yardstick is an informal substitute for criterion that suggests quantity more often than quality.

housing construction as a yardstick of economic growth

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of touchstone The six-month program begins in March 2025 and is designed to provide an accessible learning touchstone for global creators. —

Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024 Cynthia Erivo says Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz was a major touchstone for her The pop star has a long relationship with the character of Glinda, having first fallen in love with the show as a child when her mom brought her to see the original cast on Broadway. —

Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 4 Dec. 2024 Its mosaic-floored, neoclassical interior so impressed the clients with its mix of modern and contemporary furniture, accessories, and art, that the palace became a touchstone for the project. —

Andrew Sessa, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2024 Three decades later, the drama following a fuschia-haired 15-year-old named Angela Chase, played by Claire Danes, lives on as a cult favorite and ’90s pop culture touchstone. —

Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for touchstone

Recent Examples of Synonyms for touchstone

Noun

For example, the Academy’s admission process broadens opportunities for minorities by expanding the candidate pool early on, inviting more qualified candidates to advance while maintaining rigorous, race-neutral criteria for the final selection.

Corinne Post, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024
The rule, which was later struck down in court, broadened the criteria for a joint employer relationship in a way that would have made companies potentially liable for the hiring practices of subcontractors.

Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024